It’s the first Volkswagen brand vehicle ever built without a steering wheel or pedals; everywhere the I.D. Vizzion concept could go, it would do so autonomously. The “digital chauffeur” wouldn’t just navigate and steer, but also recognize occupants and adapt aspects of the interior like climate control and music playlists to their preferences automatically. It can even communicate with the outside world by projecting the image of crosswalk lines in front of the Vizzion to let pedestrians know they can safely pass in front.

As with the first three I.D. electric vehicle concepts – the I.D., I.D. Crozz and I.D. Buzz – the I.D. Vizzion previews a model slated to enter production by 2022. But the I.D. Vizzion concept in Geneva highlights Volkswagen’s vision for a time further in the future, when so-called Level 5 full autonomous driving becomes possible. As with other MEB-based models, the Vizzion has all-wheel-drive provided by electric motors on the front and rear axle producing a total of 302 hp. Its 111-kWh battery pack should provide a range of around 300 miles. It’s equipped with a phalanx of sensors – laser scanners, ultrasonic sensors, radar sensors front and rear and cameras with a 360-degree view of the area surrounding the vehicle.

To highlight its 2030 worldview, the Vizzion concept was styled with a new, sleek evolution of VW’s electric vehicle DNA. Designers aimed to eliminate seams and obstructions for passengers, from suicide doors that have no B-pillar to the window glass that lies flush to the bodywork. Meanwhile, a series of LED light strips surround the car, from the front grille through the sides and door handles to the rear fenders; the lights pulse when the vehicle recognizes one of its passengers through face recognition technology. The headlights are made from 8,000 HD Matrix LEDs that can be individually controlled and used to project displays in front of the car.

The first thing you notice upon opening its doors is the sculpted, wheel-and-instrument-panel free dash; the only protrusions are a pair of footrests for the front passengers. The Vizzion is designed to be controlled by voice and hand gestures and can display vehicle data via its integration with augmented reality glasses. (For those who still want a true sense of control, there are two knobs on the centre panel, mainly for turning the stereo up and down.)

While it may seem like a sci-fi idea of what the future may look like, nearly all of the technology in the I.D. Vizzion either exists already or is under development by VW and its suppliers. Given the rate of technological progress in the past few years, autonomous vehicles could evolve fast enough to turn today’s science fiction into science fact.

Stay tuned to these pages for more information on Volkswagen’s I.D. line of electric vehicles which are slated to be launched globally by 2022.